When I was training for my first Ironman in 2013, I would religiously track the weather the days leading up to the long ride on the weekends.

“Oh no, it’s going to rain, guess I’m on the trainer for 4 hours. Six hours.”

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I would set up my trainer. Get Netflix ready. Lube up the Queen from my nine gallon jug of Aquaphor.

And I would start peddaling… only to watch the rain never come and the sun shine ever so brightly…the entire trainer ride.  This happened to me no less than four times.

So this time at the Lake Placid rodeo, I have refused to ride the trainer on the long rides.

I check the weather (100% chance of rain! Torrential downpour!) and I say, “Oh well!” and I go outside.  I have a theory that it will turn be sunshine and perfect once I get out there–just like it turned out to be each time I got on the trainer.

Well… two weekends of rainy riding has proven me wrong. Rain and rain and rain.  At least I had some lovely company this time.

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(Though I’m not sure about Paul’s hair…^^^)

We had a very wet and very hilly 40 miler.  I wanted a 60 miler, but 40 in that crazy weather felt like more than enough. Plus, my power meter decided to crap out on me… so I didn’t have data after 25 miles.

And we all know that without data, it doesn’t count. So what was the point?

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I’m definitely in the thick of build training right now.

My scores and data in TrainingPeaks are all greens and yellows, and my stress scores and data are off-the-charts “you’re really working hard there, missy” numbers, so things are on track.

I keep forgetting that I have Gulf Coast 70.3 in a few weeks… which I guess will be a nice “training day” …Man! Don’t you hate when people call a 70.3s a “training day”???  (How dumb.  And I just did.)

Hey look, it’s the Expert.  He does still exist. (For those of you who were wondering.)

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Yes, we are still married–he just asked to be left off the blog for a while.  Apparently people at work found out about me… so he asked that we keep our laundry in the house.  But I am allowed to air MY dirty laundry, just not his. 🙂   Yes, he’s still training for a 70.3 in the fall, and he’s thinking about an Ironman for his 40th next year. No, we don’t really ride together any more due to schedules and the like.  Yes, he’s riding a tri bike now.  So that’s the annual update about the Expert.

(And no, he’s not single.  Or bald–though he appears to be in that picture.)   AAhh…. this one is better.

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Anyway…

I have been really inundated with questionnaires lately for freelance stories and other things that I won’t bore you with. Questionnaires are really funny to me, because you have to write about yourself in weird ways.  So I spend time talking about myself… like ALL THE TIME …to the point where I am starting to really get sick and tired of my own stories. 🙂

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But I do know one thing about questions… they make me think and realize how far I have come.  And what an amazing journey it has been (and hopefully, will continue to be!)

So I thought, in the spirit of celebrating our own accomplishments and doing some lovely horn-tooting that is NOT mine… I wanted to ask YOU two little questions.

Feel free to answer them in the comments or on Facebook.  Enjoy your growth!
  1. What is one thing you have accomplished that you never thought you could?
  2. What is your BEST/GREATEST/MOST MEMORABLE triathlon moment so far?
  3. What is the one thing you wish you knew when you first started triathlon?

Happy Tuesday!

6 Responses

  1. 1. Run a half marathon without walking

    2. Having a single bike crash during the race and finishing anyway.

    3. That you should not wear underwear under your bike kit! (Actually just found this out last year after 5 years of cycling)

  2. 1. Being a mom to two young children, working full-time, supporting my Active Duty Army husband, coaching Girls on the Run, serving on several leadership committees in our school district, and training, competing, and finding personal success in triathlons and marathons.

    2. Placing third in my third triathlon only a few days after my aunt passed away.

    3. Swimming in open water is MUCH different than a pool! Holy crap! I started barrel rolling my way to the finish line in my first triathlon. Oh, and that jellyfish love to congregate in the swim course of an ocean swim tri!

  3. 1- After suffering from panic attacks in water my whole life, decided that I would conquer that for my 40th,… (I could not put my face under even in a pool!) I did Augusta 70.3 last year and I LOVED every second!

    2 – Hitting the last aid station in Augusta last year and thinking “I so got this”

    3 – You will survive – NO one can take the accomplishment away. If you do a super sprint, sprint, Olympic, or Iron, you will be a triathlete. Period.

  4. 1. Running a marathon in 4 hours 28 and loving every moment!

    2. Finishing my first Olympic distance triathlon with my mum beating me by just a few minutes!

    3. That I would end up absolutely loving open water swimming (after hating it the first few times it is now my favourite thing to do!)

  5. You are actually doing some good race simulation for IMLP! Often times it rains in the morning (weather there is weird) so there’s a chance you might be biking in the rain on race day!

  6. 1) Half Iron Puerto Rico
    2) not my best but most memorable – almost having a panic attack in the water at my first Tri – and I GREW UP A SWIMMER! Just goes to show that open water is way different than pool swimming
    3) Tri shorts have a smaller pad than bike shorts – practice in the tri kit a few times before race day!

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